Comments

I liked the packaging. Great design, and I love that you put pictures around the outside to suggest different uses for the product. The product is great, too. I don’t know if you do anything around the Pittsburgh area, but there is a Whiskey and Fine Spirits Festival in November that I am attending. It would be a great place for you to showcase your product! Thanks for the wonderful innovation and for keeping my whiskey from getting watered down!

I purchased the Sparq soapstone Whiskey Rocks via a Groupon or Livingsocial voucher (don’t remember which one). Per the card inserted with the packaging, below are my comment about the “new” packaging.

1. The packaging is colorful and bright. The box is very nice, compact and perfectly sized for the product.
2. The top flap of the box indicates the content as 9 stones while elsewhere on the box it indicates 12. Consistency is always a nice attribute.
3. The top flap notes that the packaging is reusable. However, the acrylic cube mentioned was not included in the packaging. The packaging description should reflect the actual content.

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, we took a bit of a risk here. We are planning on delivering a set of 12 with the acrylic cube in a brick and mortar retail setting (in fact, we have shipped to 3 new customers in the last week). We were worried we were going to confuse the people as we only deliver 9 online, but thought the risk was worth it.

Yes, I would agree with John, I was confused as well when I received my order today, sounds like the acrylic cube and different sized rocks would be a big plus, and preferable to the 9 same sized cubes in a cardboard box. Just from the standpoint of keeping them in the freezer, the acrylic box would be great to have. Why not make that available online too? In any case, the instructions and description should match the product.

Well, we wanted to get some feedback before putting them out there. We have been getting some great interest.

With 12, the package gets a bit heavier and adding some larger size rocks push a different price point. We were not sure if people would pay something like $25+s&h for a set of 12 or not. We are cooking up some other ideas that we could include in the package to increase the value of the purchase.

1) The card says in the second paragraph that 9 stones are included. Then in the fourth paragraph it says 12 stones of two different sizes are included. I received 9 stones of the same size. First discrepancy. Obviously no one proofed.

2) The box also has the same errors. On the lid it says “Set of 12.” On the bottom flap it says 9 – 7/8″ cubes and 3 – 1 1/4″ cubes. I received 9 slightly irregular sized cubes ranging from 3/4″ to 7/8″ on each side.

3) The card says “each face of our new cube packaging showcases a unique use for Soapstone Rocks. That means 6 different uses but the box only shows only 3, coffee, whiskey and wine, unless you call stacking them a use, then 4. Another discrepancy.

4) The included card says “we have included a 15% off coupon,” but none was included. Another discrepancy.

5) The box states “Soapstone Rocks Climate Control.” Maybe micro-climate control, but these do not have enough stored kbtus to alter the climate of even a small room.

5) the graphics on 4 of the 6 sides are very attractive. The box is mad of quality attractive high quality materials.

I too was wondering where the stated acrylic photo cube was. I didn’t make the purchase based on it, but one does appreciate honesty in advertising. Especially when it is not stated anywhere that this is a beta marketing experiment, which it seems to be.

Some thoughts from a retired retailer: to my mind, in these times, reaching a broader (i.e., aspirational) audience might include a set of three for $9.99, including s/h. That would make them a great multiple gift item and protect your bottom line. I had looked at these before on a couple of websites, but the pricing was out of line, in my opinion, so I passed. When they appeared on Groupon for $5.50 for 9, I thought it might be a “going out of business” sale, but I bought a couple. I was suprised by the $8.50 s/h per coupon, which was not stated up front (“smacks” of “bait & switch”), but I was out $11, so adding another $17.00, essentially made them “buy one, get one free,” so I bought them. Everyone I show them to loves the idea, but resist the pricing and the large quantity, especially for an unknown product. That’s why I mention the smaller quantity and “lower” pricing. I’d keep the box and sell as 3, 6 or 9 in the paper box (with a filler as you’ve done with the set of 9 that I purchased) or 12 with the included acrylic box, online or in stores. The 12 in the acrylic box could have ‘top of the line” pricing, too. I’d lose the “Set of 12″ on the front of the paperbox and several items on the back of the box: lose the reference to size of stone in the descriptions for “Cold” and “Hot” drinks; and lose “Reusable Packaging” and “General Warning” and “Contents” and include those on a high quality, printed sticker with the correct info for the quantity in that box in the space where you had originally printed those items. It’s less expensive to purchase your 3 x 3 x 3 box in a large quantity and apply a sticker to the bottom of that box with specifics (set of 3 or 6 or 9, or set of 12 in acrylic box) than to try to figure out how many diffierent size boxes to order with the different information, until you can reach an economy of scale. And as “additional” shipping/handling is a such a “sore point” with so many, I encourage you to include it in the pricing, i.e., $9.99 including s/h.)

WOW … that was very thoughtful. We really appreciate the insight, you have certainly given us a lot to chew on.

We do have the “set of 9″ packaging, and wanted to get some feedback on the set of 12 product which was the point here. It didn’t land exactly how we wanted as we weren’t as clear as we could have been, but we are getting good feedback nonetheless.

The smaller set is a really cool idea and will have to think about that one. I do see the value in delivering an unknown product without significant financial risk. We are happy to hear that your circle of friends are so accepting of the idea. Overall, I think the groupon was a good idea to get in touch with customers.

Another thought, I’d continue with the enclosure in the box, only this time, saying something like, “whether you received these as a gift or you purchased them for yourself, we encourage you to check out our online store, where we offer these Soapstone Rocks” in several quantity options, i.e., 3, 6, 9 or 12 per box. And, as always, we ship for FREE within the continental USA.”

In regards to the prior posts from others, yes, it was a bit confusing, but once I read the enclosure it was clear. Next time, I’d wrap the boxes in a piece of paper that clearly stated on each side: “TEST packaging ONLY. Contents: 9 stones. 15% discount coupon inside box. Pls leave comments about packaging, etc. on our website. Thanks!”

The packaging itself is great. The rocks themselves are great. I had never heard of them, nor seen them before. I bought three sets via Groupon, planning to keep a set for myself (for my Maker’s Mark) and giving two sets as gifts for my scotch drinking friends. Problem is, I can’t very well give a gift of 9 rocks in packages that state they contain 12. If you had been up front with your packaging “test” I probably would have purchased one set to try them out, then paid the full price to buy two of the properly labeled set of 12 as gifts.

Received my 9 stones today in the new packaging. Love the new package and wish I would have seen the 12 stones being offered earlier. Especially both sizes. Well there is my next purchase. The pictures are a great way to showcase the uses for the stones. Sometimes I do not think of everything. Mine will be used primarily as wiskey stones though. What a great idea there. My Gentleman Jack thanks you. Anyway, good luck with the new package and different size stones. I will keep an eye out on your website.

I too was slightly confused with the 9 verses 12 stone quantity on the packaging but after a cold but not watered down Scotch and locating the insert asking for feedback, I had full understanding of what was going on.

Barring any typos that folks have listed above (and I felt were negligible) my thoughts are below:

I love the product.

I love the packaging size and proportions. Graphically I felt the photos and fonts were appealing and overall the packaging was design forward. Everyone in my office was intrigued by it as well. (Side note: We have Scotch Friday in our office in lieu of Beer Friday) I would suggest finding an alternative to the empty spacer. I realize with the larger set that may already be remedied.

If you were offering the multi-size of 12 today, I would buy it! I think $25 is a decent price point.

Thank you for offering a creative product that is environmentally sensitive as well. Hopefully your packaging will continue to reflect the environmental aspect as well. I look forward to seeing what additional products you come up with.

This isn’t so much about the packaging, but the stones themselves. My boyfriend is one of those men who has everything and is incredibly difficult to shop for. I got these stones for him for his father’s day present and he was ecstatic, absolutely loved them. Just wanted to drop a line and say kudos on your amazing product!

Haha, I didn’t realize they actually came from countertop scraps until I read more about Sparq. I certainly appreciate that you are re-using waste material, but I still feel further, more refined finishing is necessary to meet your conveyed image, as well as to validate your price point. At least a little sorting would have been nice to provide some semblance of consistency.